Essegian scores 23, Wisconsin holds off Michigan 64-56

MADISON. Wisc. (AP) — Freshman Connor Essegian scored a career-high 23 points, including 5 of 6 free throws in the final 45 seconds, and Wisconsin held off Michigan 64-59 despite missing its last 15 shots.  Essegian’s basket at the 10:45 was the last one for the Badgers, and his two free throws at 10:27 following a technical foul on Michigan coach Juwan Howard, capped a personal 6-0 run for a 54-42 lead. From there, Wisconsin made 10 of 12 free throws, just enough to pull out the win. Twice the Wolverines had free-throw opportunities to tie the game, once with 4:10 to play and again less than two minutes to go, but failed to do so. They also made just two of their last 11 field-goal attempts, including eight straight misses. Kobe Bufkin scored 21 points for the Wolverines.